Twister tears up Texas

Yesterday up to 12 tornados tore through Dallas and surrounding areas in Texas. So powerful were they that footage taken by residents shows trucks and tractor trailers being picked up by the violent winds and blown across parking lots and highways.

Storms are not unusual in Texas, particularly at this time of year, but this one is thought to have been particularly violent following the formation of twin supercell storms.

In the photo above a vortex is seen touching down on interstate 20 in Lancaster, south of Dallas. Fifty kilometres away, many flights were grounded at Dallas-Fort Worth International airport and across the area homes and power lines were destroyed. However, so far no fatalities have been reported.

(Image: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features)

It is the beginning of the main tornado season in Tornado Alley. Last April tornados killed more than 130 people in Alabama alone.